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Snake takes surprise trip to seaside in car engine

Jack Hadaway-WellerYorkshire
News imageDave Bigsby A patterned snake is coiled around the front headlight and hood of a bright red car. The snake’s body wraps over the glossy surface, contrasting with the smooth paint and glass. The scene appears to take place outdoors on a gravel surface, creating a striking and unusual encounter.Dave Bigsby
The snake's owner intends to pick up his pet next week

An escaped snake has been rescued after it was spotted on top of a car bonnet in Scarborough.

The corn snake, which has since been claimed by its owner, is thought to have travelled around 17 miles (27km) from its owner's house in Bridlington on 13 June.

Dave Bigsby, from Lilly's Reptile Rescue Centre, was called to retrieve the snake and said he thought it had fancied a bit of "sightseeing" he said he thought he had "heard how good Scarborough was and fancied a bit of fresh air for the day".

It is thought the reptile had escaped from his owner's house in Bridlington and slithered inside a nearby car and was unknowingly transported up the coast to Scarborough.

Bigsby said when he arrived at the car there was no sign of the snake.

"They showed me an image that they'd taken, and I identified the snake as a corn snake."

He said they had to wait for the driver to turn up to find out where the creature had hidden itself.

"The driver came back to his car eventually and he opened the engine bay up and the snake was sat on the right-hand side above the strut spring."

News imageDave Bigsby A patterned snake is stretched across the open engine bay of a car. Two hands carefully hold the snake near the front, above visible engine parts and fluid containers.Dave Bigsby
The snake was eventually removed from the car's engine bay

Bigsby said it was a struggle to get the snake out of the car as it had wrapped itself around something.

"I had hold of its tail from the rear of the snake, kept hold of it for two hours before it finally gave up and came out," he said.

Bigsby has responded to a number of different incidents since starting the rescue centre in 2024 but has never removed one from a car before.

"This is a first for me, we've had them in dustbins, hedgerows, riverbanks, footpaths but we've never had one in a car engine bay before," he said.

The snake has been cared for at Bigsby's rescue centre since and its owner will collect it on Tuesday.

He said it was a "beautiful snake, no signs of aggression, no bad moods, no nothing".

"It's a lovely, lovely snake."

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